Handicap Guidelines: Automatic Changes to Handicaps

The Automatic Handicapping System (AHS) is to continue as the principal method by which handicaps are changed.

Starting indices

All players carry forward their indices from season to season. When a player’s handicap is altered outside the AHS, his index is reset to the trigger point corresponding to that handicap [see Tables 4 and 5 below].

Qualifying Games

All singles games in CA Calendar Fixtures, Federation Leagues, inter-club contests and Designated Club Competitions qualify for the system. Designated Club Competitions are competitions:

run by Member Clubs;
in which hoops are set to CA Tournament standards; and
which are clearly publicised by the Member Club, prior to the start of the tournament, as consisting of qualifying games.

Short croquet, golf croquet, doubles, friendly club games, ad hoc-games, walkovers and abandoned games are specifically excluded from the system.

Changes to Indices: Handicap Games

For 26 point, 22 point and 18 point qualifying games a player’s index increases by 10 for each win and decreases by 10 for each loss. For 14 point qualifying games, a player’s index increases by 5 points for each win and decreases by 5 points for each loss.

Full bisque, advanced-handicap and bisque-difference games are treated the same way by the AHS.

Changes to Indices: Level Play

The change to a players index depends on the number of steps difference between him and his opponent. The index change is calculated from table 1 for 26 point, 22 point and 18-point games and from table 2 for 14-point games. A step is two bisques from handicap 12 upwards, one bisque between handicaps 5 and 12, half a bisque between handicaps 0 and 4½. For minus handicaps table 3 is used to calculate steps difference. These rules apply to both ordinary level and level advanced games.

Example 1: Roy (H’cap 3) and Bab (H’cap 14) play each other in a 26-point qualifying game. There are 12 steps difference between their handicaps. Thus, if Roy wins his index increases by 1 and Bab’s index decreases by 1. However, if Bab wins her index increases by 19 and Roy’s index decreases by 19.

Example 2: Bag (H’cap -1½) and Wap (H’cap 0) play each other in a 26-point qualifying game. There are 8 steps difference between their handicaps. Thus, if Bag wins her index increases by 3 and Wap’s index decreases by 3. However, if Wap wins his index increases by 17 and Bag’s index decreases by 17.

Table 1: Level play index changes for 26 point, 22 point and 18 point games

Handicap Steps Difference	Index Change
Handicap Steps Difference	Higher Handicap Wins	Lower Handicap Wins
0	10	10
1	11	9
2	12	8
3	13	7
4	14	6
5	15	5
6	16	4
7 or 8	17	3
9 or 10	18	2
11 or more	19	1

Table 2: Level play index changes for 14-point games

Handicap Steps Difference	Index Change
Handicap Steps Difference	Higher Handicap Wins	Lower Handicap Wins
0	5	5
1 or 2	6	4
3 or 4	7	3
5 or 6	8	2
7 or more	9	1

Table 3: Notional steps for minus handicaps

Handicap	0 to -½	-½ to -1	-1 to -1½	-1½ to -2	-2 to -2½	-2½ to -3
Notional steps	2	3	3	4	4	5

Handicap Changes under the AHS

At a CA Calendar Fixture, or other tournament lasting no more than 4 days

At either:

a CA Calendar Fixture; or
any other tournament lasting no more than 4 days

a handicap change can only be triggered at the end of the tournament. If, at the end of the tournament, a player’s index is on or past a trigger point for a handicap change [see Table 4] then his handicap changes accordingly.

Any such handicap change should be reported to the Tournament Handicapper. He must then complete form HC1 and return it to the CA office.

In all other cases

Handicap changes take place at the end of the day. So if, at the end of a day, a player’s index is on or past a trigger point for a handicap change [see Table 4], his handicap changes accordingly.

Any such change should be reported to your Club Handicapper. He must then complete form HC1 and return it to the CA office.

Table 4: Handicap and index trigger points

Handicap	Index	Handicap	Index	Handicap	Index
-3	3050	2	1800	9	1300
-2 ½	2800	2 ½	1750	10	1250
-2	2600	3	1700	11	1200
-1 ½	2400	3 ½	1650	12	1150
-1	2250	4	1600	14	1100
- ½	2100	4 ½	1550	16	1050
0	2000	5	1500	18	1000
½	1950	6	1450	20	950
1	1900	7	1400	22	900
1 ½	1850	8	1350	24	850

Handicap Record Card

All players who compete in qualifying games are required to record their results on an official handicap card. Players should bring their handicap cards to all tournaments in which they play. See the example for an illustration of how to complete a handicap card.

Guide to completing a handicap card (Example handicap card)

Index Change Lookup table

Michael Poole devised the following table and is indebted to Jenny Williams for her contribution to the way it is presented. The table summarises the information presented in the handicap system description to provide a simple look-up for all games played level. Simply read off the number of index points that change hands from the intersection of the winner's handicap and loser's handicap.

Table 5: Look-Up Table

Winner's h/c	Loser's handicap
Winner's h/c	5	4.5	4	3.5	3	2.5	2	1.5	1	0.5	0	-0.5	-1	-1.5	-2	-2.5	-3
5	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	17	18	18	19	19	19	19	19	19
4.5	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	17	18	19	19	19	19	19	19
4	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	17	18	19	19	19	19	19
3.5	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	19	19	19	19
3	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	19	19	19	19	19
2.5	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	17	18	19	19	19	19
2	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	16	18	19	19	19	19
1.5	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	15	17	19	19	19	19
1	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	14	17	18	19	19	19
0.5	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	13	16	18	19	19	19
0	2	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	12	15	17	19	19	19
-0.5	1	1	2	2	3	3	4	5	6	7	8	10	13	16	18	19	19
-1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	3	3	4	5	7	10	13	17	19	19
-1.5	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	3	4	7	10	14	17	19
-2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	3	6	10	14	18
-2.5	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	3	6	10	15
-3	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	5	10

David Harrison-Wood has also produced a single-page guide to the AHS. (PDF)